'(Dr? trontmt
tinrH i partiaad. Or.g oa. raetofSee as
Ixul l'lw Miliar.
utacrtsUoa afa Invariably ta
IKT MAIL)
ratTy. Sjixtar l-lJa. ana rer. .
I..;t. Sun.lar tnrlua-4. els ajont. ..
X'ai'y. Sun.lar lacluda-i. tarae moniUa..
Iii. .n.l Iniu.l-J. ana aaie....
Iai.T. m-t-na-it jada. aaa ar.
li . nar. m saaatha.....
aitnout 4ilir. tr.raa eaaatae...
J-aiiT. a-lthul auadaj. M nwat-" -Jj
W r. aaa Jr J-JJ
JI. aoa rar
tuat asl aaaalr.
(BT CAMIM1
rHr. eva4ar laeltMS-4. aaa yaj 7a
Xai:T. luatUr ti lid-.l. aaa n.
a. ti-ana-
Vara. I'raaaalcS a al. d Is K. CaJ-
r buMiitno.
c, VI
rt tlvn t). nro.M.M)ii, iia a. iu
urn r urn ttt ad tuk rAMru
We do not believe that the dlsln
fnuoLj effort to stir up tha (wratn
against Canadian reciprocity will suc
ceed. It appeals too directly to Ig
norant greed. If It appealed to in
telligent greed wo should danger
ta It. but that It does not do. Tha cry
la th&t reciprocity -will deprlva the
f -i rm era of tha benefit of the duties
on whet. corn. eggs, baron and so on.
Now these duties fall Into two dle
t.nct clui. The first cla-'S la levied
on products which we export. Hence
they are a mer d-lu-ilon. The. only
purpose Is to blind the formers Into
the belief that they are getting some
benefit when they net none. The prlre
of exported products is made In tha
foreign markets where they ar sold.
Our dutl-s can by no possibility affect
them. The wheat duty U an excellent
example of this farcical effort to make
boobies of the farmers by pretending
to give them something while really
giving them nothing. Keclprixlty
with Canada would not affect the
price of wheat nn lota. The shriek,
that It "wouij rive Canada a whuck
at the American farmers' market" Is
Imbecile. That market Is In Liverpool
and Hamburg" an J Canada already lias
all the whack she wants at It.
Hut we spoke of a second-class of
duties. They are levied on products
which we Import like eggs and paper
pulp. It Is absurd to think of our Im
porting ergs, but we do It. The duties
on these articles actually raise the
price, and here comes the Joker. The
duties raLse the price but the farmers
d not tret the raise. The story of
California lemons ought to enlighten
them forever on that point. The In
crease caused by the duties roes to
the middlemen. Taking off the duties
would not therefore affect the farmer
at all. He irets now only what the
middleman Is pleased to allow him
and that Is about enourh to pay the
cost of production. Thus much tie
mu-'t iret or cease producing. With
the duties off he would receive no lee.
The way for the farmer to obtain
the true value out of his product 1 to
eliminate the middleman by Insisting
on measures like the parrels post and
thus briny; himself In direct relation
with the consumer. This would help
him more than all the tariffs that
ever were levied. We are confident
th4t he understands the subject by
this time and that no amount of bun
ronr.be will mislead him Into opposing
Mr. Tsft's reciprocity policy. This
policy Is the beginning of true tariff
reform. If It Is not nipped in the bud
It will r a lone; way toward putting
our business nn a solidly natural bust
and eliminator the tariff drugs and
tonics which keen It In a pa nick fever.
oiurcnoii to the vakcti pot.
A correspondent whose letter Is
trtnted today asks how we reconcile
two editorial articles which he cites.
In one the parcels post Is favored.
Ja the other the purchase of poor
xxis at high prices from mail order
Reuses in the East Is deplored. We
do not see that the two articles need
any reconciling. There Is no conflict
between them. We favor a parcels
pot because It would (really Improve
the circumstances of the farming
population. " Our corrapon.lnt differs
with us upon this punt. He seems to
believe that It would destroy the local
stores and thus deprive the farmer
of his "market for produce and crops."
This Is not The Oreg'inlan'a belief. so
fr as we can sve, the parcels pt
would benefit the lota! stores. It
would not Injure them In any particu
lar. On the other hand, the parcels
post would furnl-h th" rural store
keeper the convenlfnce wh!-h he ncerfs
rnor than an) thins; eLe. The con
venience Is a cheap and efficient sys
tem ef delivering his goo.Js to pur
chasers. At present he cannot deliver
anything without great rxpense. With
the parcels pot he could deliver at
any distance for Very little cot to
himself or the customer.
The fact that he has no method of
dllverlng his goo.ls put the small
storekeeper at a serious d!ia.lvont i;e,
compared with the mall-order hou-e.
Since the farmer baa to f to the vil
lage for his goods In any case, he
hlnks he might as will get them In
''hlcago as to buy at home, especially
-!nee the advertisements r-t the Chl--ago
houses promise a great deal fr
utte money. Those promises may not
- kept, but the tartner has no way
- Ju.lg until he has tried It out.
enre the local store suffers a heavy
oe of trade which it would retain If
;.e farmer roul I send In his order by
nail tni receive ina sooua u io
ame way.
We Insist upon the notorious fact
hat the parcels post has rot InJ-ired
ural : re in the countries where It
as long been established, and there
no reason why It should Injure
hem here. On the contrary. It prom
es to be their best friend.
The parcels p-st would save the
armer many a long and expensive
rive tJ town, for one thing, but this
a comparatively small matter. Its
est result woutJ be ti brlr.g. the far--isr
Into clnee relation with his cus-
mers In the city, as It has done In
;ermny. siuch artlrles as egrs. but-
-e fruit, poultry, could be sent by
lall direct from the producer to the
onsiimer anJ a'.l Intermediate ex
eiises eliminated. We need not point
tit the savins; which would folliwr to
oth parties.
The ery that the parcels poet would
-stror leal markets and thus depre-
a'e farm property is nonsense. n
uld not poeslbly do anything of the
... Th. slmnle fact Is that It would
ie an Immense rUe In the value ef
irm property by adding to the profit
. ... .i.t.a ef eountry life.
arar. aipraa euar ar aaraonaj " " - -
lor) tank, stamps, cala ar ""VT
ara al tha ea4r-a r!. 0' ""
aa1ra la tail, laeludlac eauair
ralw Kim l la 14 pesaa, 1 sent;
ta 2a a ot. I ta "
la ' pasaa. a eaata, ae
aanoia rata
The arguments against the parcels
post are pure sophistry and have their
source in short-sighted greed.
TWO BOARIlft. OR ONK?
A correspondent at Corvaiils writes
a letter to The Oregoflan ''tl tn
following paragraph:
Several 7ara are yoo advleed tha eJeT
tlon of a stnete Hoard of Kestnta tor
tao atate Coliaara. but a ermple ot ruoatha
lair. due to tha vary ebTlous (allure ot the
single board far lbs State Norraala. yae
aliad haltatloa bafora maalas further
srlmanta sua this erstem. Nw this
quntlua la as aaJa batora the State Lasie
U i ura. a4 It la aiso up f -r satiate Bare
at the Orsgoa agricultural Colin
Wi are oppoatog the aduptlon a surd
aS exparlmeot. bacauaa It is aa aipartment
that has tbaa far aot proi mn a auiHiaaa al
Ua piacea la wblca It la bains triad.
The Oregontan never has been par
ticularly Impressed with the desirabil
ity of a common board of regents for
the university at Eugene and the Ag
ricultural College. The alms of the
two schools are so different that the
same body of men would not be likely
to feel adequate sympathy with both.
Any board composed of average per
sons would be expected to favor one
school at the expense of the other, and
naturally the neglected Institution
would suffer serious Injury.
If we had a single board it wmjuM
probably be kept In continual hot wa
ter by the conflicting claims of the
rival schools. It might even break Into
two factions which would spend their
time wrangling for advantages. Log
rolling would be quite In the natural
course of events and the fortunes of
the university and the college at Cor
vaiils would be determined largely by
putty politics. Inasmuch as the mem
bers of the boards serve without com
pensatlon. there is no argument from
economy for uniting them, and since
the reasons for keeping them separate
are numerous, we may hope that they
will remain as they are for a long
time to come.
Tiir. rrniJO ijbkabt.
The JTortland Public Library has
outgrown Its present accommodations
and resources. It is located near the
renter of Portland, where it is housed
In a building too small and Inconven
ient for Its patrons. Something must
soon be done if there Is to be a public
library, or It will utterly fail In its
function of serving all the public.
There must first be a new buidlng.
The Library Association has not the
means to build a commodious struc
ture, but it has devised a plan by
which the county may undertake the
work. The present site will be turned
over to the county, which will provide
funds for a new building through a
tax levy not greater than 1 H mills.
The county will then contract for the
use and occupation of the building by
the Library Association.
Authority to carry out this important-
plan Is to be given by the rjtate
Legislature through a bill Introduced
by Ilepresontatlve Ambrose. The
Oregonlan approves the measure In
Its main purposes, though It would
make more specific provision for ex
penditure ofthe building fund than
appears in the bill. The county, which
provides the money, can hardly bo
expected to turn it over with r.o limi
tations or restrictions to the Library
Association to sxpend as it pleases.
The Oregonlan thinks the building
plar-s and the method and manner of
expenditure ought to be in the hands
of the Library Association acting un
der the direction and with he advice
and approval of the Board of Commis
sioners. This is only a matter of tie
tall, of course, and can easily be
arranged.
Portland should have a suitable
library building. It should be of ap
propriate architecture, dimensions and
construction. It should have a cen
tral location. It should be well sup
ported with funds. The proposed
levy of m mills, which will probably
be distributed over two or more
years, will not be a heavy burden to
the taxpayer.
-A!I. GOOD ROADS HILLS.
The bills looking toward better
roads which have passed the Senate
of Oregon should also be passed by
the House of Representatives. The
Oregonlan has criticised them In some
particulars and continues of the opin
ion that they might bejmproved. Hut
the time for Insistence upon small de
tails has passed by. There Is serious
darker that In tho multitude of con
flicting opinions we shall obtain no
good roads legislation whatever at the
present session of the Legislature, and
this would be a misfortune to the
state. Oregon needs a sound system
vf road construction aa much as any
state In the Union, perhaps more than
most because of our climatic condi
tions. The proposed measures, though
by no means Ideal, are no doubt the
best obtainablo Just now. and we are
Killing to overlook unimportant objec
tions. They should pass so that the
state may take the first steps In the
business of providing better highways.
With all their undeniable defects,
these bills outline a policy. What IJ
lacking In It can be provided as time
goes on. The main thing lsto make
a start.
Of course, every intelligent member
of the Legislature has his own opin
ions upon the subject of road con
struction and road legislation. Men
differ conscientiously about this as
they do about other matters. But If
the members insist too strongly upon
their various conflicting opinions, as
we have already suggested, the oppor
tunity for legislation may pass and
than nothing can be done about good
roads until another session begins.
This Is too long to wait. Tho business
Is urgent. It ought not to be delayed
for any but the most serious reasons.
The members of the Legislature
should seek for harmony rather than
points of disngroement. There is al
ways a way to reconcile conflicting
views if efficient action Is really de
sired. Too much stress upon minor
points of difference Indicates a desire
for obstruction rather than action.
This Is an excellent time to forget all
about trifling objections and dubious
amendments. The hour has come for
the long, strong pull and the pull al
together which brings results.
The gospel of good roods has been
preached so abundantly that to many
It has become wearisome. Still the
fact should not be overlooked that in
spite of all the preaching there has
been very little practice. A farmer
writing to The Oregonlan says there
Is not a mile 'of perfect highway In
Oregon, and he is not far from the
truth. Under these conditions the best
course Is to stop preaching and begin
to acu and the only practicable action
at this moment Is to pass the bills
which are before the House. They
provide for bonding the several coun
ties and placing the roadsunder state
supervision. Both these nssasure are
found In principle. Experience has
proved as well as anything can be
proved that local supervision of high
ways is a failure. It ends in ruinous
waste of the public funds while the
mads remain as bad as ever or grow
worse from year to year. Local super
vision is Inefficient and Ignorant. The
state alone can take hold of the mat
ter adequately.
The expense of road construction Is
too heavy to be met by the taxes of
one year or half a dozen years. The
only fair way to meet It Is by the issue
of bonds' running for a considerable
period. These securities should not
be looked upon as a drain of resources.
On the contrary they are an invest
ment, one of the best in the world.
The Increase of land values which will
follow Immediately upon the construc
tion of modern highways In Oregon
will more than pay for them. It is
thereore entirely Just to permit each
county to Issue the bonds required by
the work within Its limits. Those who
profit by the rise In values cannot
complain If they are asked to make
the necessary Investment of capital.
We repeat that county bonding and
state supervision are both sound and
The Oregonlan urges the Legislature
to pass the bills now under considera
tion, since they are based upon those
principles.
THE riAtl1.tr ti MILLIONS.
Details of the National bank state
ment which was called for January 7
make an Interesting showing of the
enormous wealth of the country. Not
all of the money of the country is In
the National banks. In fact, the state
banks and trust companies have bil
lions on deposit, and In addition to
this there is. In the aggregate, a con
siderable sum stowed away in the
chimney corners and teapots. But the
71 IS National banks reporting Janu
ary 7 showed deposits of more than
IS. US, 000, 000. The resources of these
banks. Including $5,402,000,000 in
loans and discounts, reached the enor
mous sum of 19.820.000,000. This
statement as prevlosly reported Is un
favorably affected by the Immense
January dividend disbursements which
had Insufficient time in which to work
back into the regurar financial chan
nels. The statement also shows that
there was a surplus reserve of more
than $ 1.340.000.000' held by the Na
tional banks on the date the reports
were made.
The healthy condition of the coun
try's financial Institutions as reflected
In this statement accounts in a meas
ure for the ease of the money market
In the East. The Immense over-sub-sriiptlon
of the 160.000.000 bond issue
of the City of New York, which bears
but 4 H per cent Interest, was also
evidence of this abundance of money.
In the West, conditions as a rule are
even more favorable than they are In
the East, although some uneaalnprs
over possible unfavorable economic
changes has temporarily retarded the
activity that will certainly be shown
In the near future. The opportunities
for both capital and labor were never
more plentiful In the West than they
are at this time. The only retarding
Influence Is a alight lack of confidence.
In this Immediate vicinity railroad
work and other forms of industrial
activity are progressing on a more
elaborate scale than in other parts of
the country, but even here it would
be greatly Increased if the outcry of
the slngle-taxers, antl-corporatlon agls
tators and other disturbers could be
silenced. With such vast sums of
money In the country and bo many
places w here - can be used to good
advantage, a complete restoration of
confidence followed by a release from
the vaults of the great stores of cash
cannot much longer be delayed.
IXKJ tJV-OfT LAN IV.
James J. Hill once made the state
ment, and proved its accuracy with
figures, thnt aiuarter section of good
timberland in Oregon or Washington
would produce us much tonnage for a
railroad as the same amount of land
sown to wheat would produce In 160
years. As tho loggers of the Pacific
Northwest are daily removing the tim
ber from several square miles of land,
the Importance of immediately getting
this denuded forest land into shape so
it may contlnuo to produce traffic is
very great. A number of companies
have been formed In Oregon and
Washington for the express purpose
of clearing on these logged-off lands
and placing thorn In condition for
crop-producing. In Southwestern
Washington, one company alone is
said to have in Its possession 20,000
acres of logged-off lands and will Im
mediately begin clearing and placing
them on the market.
For decades, logged-off lands have
been regarded as practically worthless.
The Pacific Northwest has had. up
to the present time, such rich areas
of more eoally cleared and Irrigated
land that tho merits of loggod-off
lands have never been appreciated.
Many of the grent forests that were
laid low by the loggers grew out of
wonderfully rich soil. The value of
such tracts for agricultural purposes
Is beginning to be understood. Some
of the land may be more valuable for
reforestation purposes than It Is for
agriculture, but there are in the ag
gregate several hundred thousand
acres of good agricultural land that
can be reclaimed by the methods fol
lowed by the companies recently or
ganized for the rurpose. Whon all of
this land eomes Into a productive
stage It will add greatly to tho wealth
of the country. It may be many years
before It will produce as much ton
nage for the railroads as they received
when the timber was removed, but it
will give them a steadily Increasing
volume of traffic of another class.
A few transient loggers received the
pay for the timber product, but the
wealth that will be created by the
agriculturists will he distributed
among thousands of farmers, garden
ers, dairymen and fruitgrowers. The
passenger and freight traffic created
will materially aid the railroads In
making up for the loss of the rich
Umber traffic. The country as a
whole will of course profit immediate
ly by tha change.
REBATTNO CANAL MTES.
Leonard Bronaon. manager of the
Vatlonal Lumber Manufacturers' As
sociation, has sent a communication to
the press of. the country advocating
that ail tolls which American ships
will be compelled to pay ror me use
of the Panama Canal be rebated. The
.iiri argument which Mr. Bronaon
offers to Pacific Coast lumbermen in
support of this demand for rebate Is
that British toiumoia, wan um op
for access to the Atlantic
seaboard.' can ship Its lumber In for
eign vessels. The duty wnicn tne Ca
nadian manufacturers will have to
r,v win na so much less than tho
saving in freight rates by the employ
ment of foreign bottoms mat. inn
transaction will show a big advantage
in favor of the Canadian manufactur
ers. Mr. Bronson also shows that it
will be cheaper to ahip many articles
from Europe to Pacific Coast ports In
foreign bottoms than It will be to ship
the name articles from New York in
American bottoms. 1
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, In
commenting on Mr. Bronson's specious
argument gravely assures us that "If
the trado, even between our own ports.
Is to be retained. It will be necessary
to give the aid which he suggests to
American ships, and there Is no sound
reason why this should not be done."
The rebating of canal dues to the
owners of ships will be notlhng more
or less than a ship subsidy paid to a
few shipowners from' toll levied on all
of the taxpayers. Why will it be nec
essary to give the aid suggested by
Mr. Bronson? Why not meet the for
eigners on their own ground? If the
necessities of commerce demand It, let
us have the right to operate the same
kind of ships operated by the foreign
ers, with whom It Is a matter of Indif
ference who builds a ship or where
she Is built so long as she is In good
condition and does not cost too much
money.
There is no popular demand for a
ship subsidy, .and there will be no
popular demand for rebating canal
dues to wealthy shipowners. What
the business Interests of the country
earnestly desire, and what the Hum
phreys and Galllngers Just as stub
bornly refuse. Is repeal of the ancient
navigation laws that make It Impossi
ble for Americans to buy or operate
cheap ships. The removal from our
navigation laws of that single clause
which denies American registry to a
foreign-built ship would accomplish
more In providing Americans with
cheap freights and cheap tonnage than
than could ever be accomplished
through rebating canal dues or
through the payment of ship subsidy.
That method would have the addi
tional merit of distributing among
thousands of consumers and producers
the saving effected, instead of con
fining the increased profits to a few
wealthy shipowners. We shall have
cheap tonnage and a merchant marine
Just as soon as the politicians keep
their hands off and permit common
sense business methods to prevail.
The owners of the east half of block
S, the site desired by the Government
for the new postofflce. have advanced
the price from $215,000 to $250,000.
This Is $50,000 more than the price at
which the Government was given an
option several months ago. Probably
If the Government continues its cus
tomary dilatory tactics, the natural
advance due to the growth of the city
will Justify the owners In asking an ad
ditional Increase In price. The prop
erty could have been secured twenty
years ago for one-fourth the price now
asked. Ten years ago it could have
been purchased at less than half its
present value. It was cheap twenty
years ago; it was cheap ten years ago,
and It is cheap now. Ten years hence
it will probably be worth double what
Is now asked for it. It misht bo well
for the Government to drop red tape
temporarily and use business methods
In securing a site.
Proprietor Ritzinger, of the Lake
view Tavern, which was raided by
Sheriff Stevens Sunday morning, was
fined 126 for selling liquor on Sunday.
Judge Olson, in passing sentence on
the lawbreaker, said: "I regret that
the law makes It Impossible for me to
fine him more than $26, and I am
heartily In favor of an amendment of
the statute fixing a greater penalty In
these cases." As a single party of the
average Joyriders who frequent the
roadhouses of the Lakeview Tavern
type would probably spend about four
times the amount of the maximum fine
that may be imposed, the task of en
forcing decency among theso outlaws
is not a light one.
Lawyers are not much in favor as
legislators in Nebraska. Tho lower
branch of the Legislature of that state
counts among its members forty-six
farmers, forty-five tradesmen and men
of other vocations, and but nine law
yers. In the Senate, however, the
lawyers are more numerous, but still
not numerous enough to Insure seri
ous consideration by that bo'dy of an
Increase of Judges on the state circuit
bench merely to allow long-winded
lawyers to consume all the time they
wish upon trifling and Irrelevant tech
nicalities whereby to delay Justice In
the hope of Its final defeat.
Men of the caliber of those who
have made the work of the Port or
Portland a success will not make a
scramble for the office of Commis
sioner when It Is placed on an elective
basis. No other public work under
taken In Portland has shown better
results than those which have followed
the efforts of the unpaid Port of Port
land Commissioners in tho past
twenty years. Extreme caution should
be used before anything is done that
mav affect our thirty-foot channel to
the sea or our present excellent pilot
age and towage service.
The State Senate, by a vote of two
to one, favors the abolishment of the
Oregon Conservation Commission. The
chief Indictment against the commis
sion is that it does not correctly re
flect or represent tho views and sen
timents of the peoplo of Oregon. In
effect It supports Mr. Pinchot and his
policies. Oregon is not for Mr. Pin
chot or his policies. It Is tired of
being conserved along the Pinchot
lines. Why should the Oregon tax
payer support such a commission?
The railroad spirit is supreme in
Roaeburg. for that city is the divisional
end of many passenger and freight
runs. So the News can easily be un
derstood when It says "The Portland
Oregonian arrived here this morning
In six sections."
The Multnomah legislators 'have de
cided that the county bench is over
worked and we need more Judges.
Many Just citizens think the bar is
also overworked, but don't urge the
employment of more bartenders.
Captain Shrine, who says that he
burned locusts on his steamship for
fuel, ought to be a welcome guest at
Los Angeles during the flea season.
The British government threatens
to cut the duty on tea, coffee and
cocoa. "What's the matter with the
makings cream and sugar?
Portland has a "drugleas healer"
who professes to believe In spirits.
He must have a patent medicine with
no medicine in it at all.
"Wonder If that Albany. Or., woman
who found a $200 diamond ring in a
chicken ever eats oysters?
A San Mateo telegram says a young
millionaire fell fifty feet In an air
ship after he had learned to fly.
A SENSE OP BROTHERHOOD ASKED
Writer Favors Middle-of-Road Plat
form As to Liability for Aceldcata.
PORTLAND, Feb. V To the Editor.)
In "tfhe Oregonlan of last Sunday.
James B. Carr discusses the Abbott In
demnity bill now before the Legislature.
One point struck me as being so well
taken, that U deserves more than pass
ing notice. He puts it In these word:
"The partial assumption of the obllga--tlon
by the state. Is the crowning achieve
ment of the law which fills the heart
with Joy In the posslb'llty of the realiza
tion of its holy meaning."
Hitherto, the largest portion of the
ritik of Industrial accidents has been
carried by labor, but suits became more
and more frequent. It gave rise to a
kind of insurance In which the chief ele
ment Is that the Insurance company
fights the lawsuits and does the dicker
ing with the employe, through specially
trained men. The callousness of the
public made the arrangement necessary.
The public regarded the employer and
the employe as the only parties con
cerned. It does not always recognise
that the margin of net profits In most
enterprises is regulated by competition,
and that in the least fortunate cases
this margin is wiped out and yet the
business goes on for some time at least.
It means that there is nothing to pay
Indemnities with, and It means that
every business must be conducted with
rigid economy, or fall.
On the other hand, to leave labor
for all practical purposes unprotected,
became gradually Intolerable. The out
rage resulted In the drastic laws now
In force on this subject.
The strange thing about this matter
Is that accidents will happen even where
precautions are taken and where negli
gence cannot be charged. They seem to
bo Inseparable from Industrial activity,
and we might Just as well admit that the
laws of their coming and of their absence
are beyond our power to see and to
control beyond a certain point.
This makes the public at large Justly
concerned. It is the chief beneficiary
of the Industries carried on In a com
munity. The compensation of the em
ployer and the employe alike is fixed
by competition, and the public is the
residuary beiieMciary, for these Industries
build up the "unearned Increment'" re
ferred to by Mr. Carr. New industries
are the signals for raising these values,
and it certainly soems Just, that the
unusual risks involved In carrying on
Industrial activities should be borne by
the public. It is a fair domand, and If
there is no response, drusrtic or social
istic legislation will naturally follow.
The unearned Increment conditions limit
both the giving and seeking of employ
ment, and limit the compensation of
both to what a competitive basis will
allow. I like to see the unearned In
crement graciously recognise Its obliga
tions, rather than foree industrial
activity graduslly Into the hands of the
Government. That will so seriously im
pair its efficiency as to leave but little
for the residuary beneficiary. Dogged
resistance to Just and fair demands, will
bring on social disorders in which the
opposing forces take turns as execu
tioners. That is practically the condition In
which this matter of industrial accidents
has placed both employer and employe,
and the public should step In and bring
about order and Jutrtice, and some sense
of brotherhood. A. S. FROSL1D.
GOI.MO AROUND A SOlinREL.
Here Is mu Old Qaestloa With m De
phie Answer.
PORTLAND, Or.. Feb. 7. (To the
Editor.) A hunter sees a squirrel on
the trunk of a tree, and tries to shoot
it. As fast as he moves around to get
a good shot, the squirrel moves around
aUo, and always keeps the tree be
tween himself and the hunter. Finally
the hunter notices he has walked all
the way around the tree. Did he go
around the squirrel? INQUIRER.
The Oregonlan will answer the above
question, though it is not so rash as
to expect that the argument spoken
of by "Inquirer" will ever be settled.
It has been running since the beginning
of history and may be expected to run
till the Day of Judgment. Whether the
hunter goes round the squirrel or not
Is entirely a matter of definition, or
point of view if you please. It stands
to reason that he goes round every
thing Inside the circle which he marks
out with his feet, but he does not see
all sides of everything within that
circle. For example, he does not see
all sides of tha squirrel because that
sagacious animal keeps its eyes on him
continually and turns about as the ease
requires. A straight line through
hunter and squirrel and the center of
their common circle would remain un
broken throughout the motion. Still
the motion of the line is rotation and
not translation, so that each of its
points outside the squirrel must be
deemed to go round the squirrel.
Short-Welaht Robbers at Work.
"Robbed While You Wait,'1 In the Feb
" ruary Metropolitan Magazine.
Inspector ' Wulfson in Indianapolis
states that In the last four and a half
years fce has confiscated upwards of 13,
ttrt fraudulent measures and scales from
tradesmen. Sealer H. A. Boyer, In Har
risburg. Pa., last Summer made a spe
cial Investigation of small wooden berry
boxes. In the entire city he could not
find a single box containing a full quart
Commissioner Clement J. Driscoll, of
New York City. repored that in April.
May and June, 1510, his inspectors visited
13,4s places of business. They con
demned and confiscated 390S weighing
and measurirg Instruments. Nearly half
of these were crudely and barefacedly
fraudulent measures purposely made
short, mostly with false bottoms; and
false scales, weights plugged with putty,
and the like. yet only 71 of these
seizures could be made the basis of
penal actions against the offenders.
That's partly because the Inspectors
haven't the power to arreut, and also
because the fact that a dealer U selling
from a wrongly adjusted scale Is not,
according to law, presumptive evidence
of Intent to defraud.
Big Slrea aa a Fire Alarm.
London Globe.
M Jules Contant, the Mayor of Ivry,
Is taking precautions for the safety of
his jurisdiction against fire which have
not received unanimous support. He has
set up a powerful siren, not at ail un
like, as far as sound goes, those in use
on the great liners. The alarm can be
heard anywhere within a radius of six
kilometers, or nearly, four miles. The
apparatus Is not worked by steam, but
by electricity. The principal ground of
objection to the Mayor's proposals seems
to have been based on prejudice that the
siren sounded at night would disturb the
slumberers of Ivry. The Mayor, how
ever, requires some stronger reasons be
fore he gives heed to the malcontents.
Boston Remarks Overheard.
Boston Evening Transcript.
"I hate botany. It's the only thing
about flowers that I don't like,"
"Fletcher? on, yes, mat s tne man
who keeps telling us we must domesti
cate our food."
"My manuscripts make me think of
carrier pigeons. . They seems to pos
sess a strong homing instinct"
"Yes, dad wants me to go to work.
He saye I ought to find something to
do besides him."
"Everything I do is laid to me,"- was
the pouting complaint of a little tot
who is too frequently Into mischief.
"Yes, I have a grandpa an' a grand
ma, too," said litle Archie the other
day, "but they aln"t mates." .
STATE IX CRIMINAL . APPEALS.
Flimsy Technicalities are Not a Suf
ficient Ground.
PORTLAND, Or.. Feb. 7.-(To the
Editor.) In an editorial in the Ore
gonlan Sunday, under the caption, "The
unfairness of the law," you bewail the
too frequent miscarriage of justice to
the state, in our criminal courts, and
Indorse the remedy suggested by a
writer in the Atlantic Monthly, who
wishes to grant the state the right to
appeal In criminal prosecutions. You
ask, "Can any one advance a plausible
reason why the state should not have
the same right to appeal as the prison
err There are Indeed most excellent rea
sons, vis., that the stats haa enormous
resources, and full legal equipment, it
cpuld appeal any or every case to the
highest courts to the financial ruina
tion of every prisoner whom the prose
cution willed to ruin. For the state
could appeal on the same flimsy tech
nicalities that some wealthy prisoners
now use. On account of long delays
and the further congestion this change
would bring to the business of the
courts, an innocent man who had In
curred the enmity of the prosecution
might be kept in Jeopardy of the law
for many years.
It Is old law, and good law, that a
prisoner cannot be placed in jeopardy
more than once for the same offense,
I. e., that the state has no appeal We
already have a. much better remedy,
viz., the removal of the judges respon
sible for these frequent miscarriages
o justice. Shall we admit that we do
not have the red blood and backbone
to use the abundant law we have, but
prefer to shift the responsibility and
doubly complicate the situation by
passing: another law?
The essential function of a Judge is
to arbiter justice between litigants. In
a criminal case tha lltlganta are the
prisoner and the state. if a judge
subverts justice and shields himself
under flimsy technicalities of the law
he should be removed from office.
The major part of our trouble has
grown up out of the foolish half su
perstitious Idea that our judiciary
should be held in sacred awe above
every criticism of the public or the
press. ,
A pinfeather politician of low morals,
who could not get credit'for a suit of
clothes, is by a Juggle of politics elect
ed a judge and from ioat moment he
becomes tha soul of honor and the
embodiment of wisdom. No word of
criticism must be spoken while he Is
a judge, but the day his term of of
fice expires, he becomes the same
scalawag as of old.
ve near a great ucm auuui. n.
carriage of justice in our courts. Do
I . i. .. tViA liiHe-R
you near anyone 1
who are responsible for this miscar
riage, are crooked or Incompetent?
They must be one or the other, and in
either event should be removed.
Granting the state the right to ap
peal In criminal cases would practically
double the business in our criminal
courts and demand more of such judges
as we now have. Would it not be bet
ter to remove the venal and Incom
petent Judges with whom we are now
burdened? F. 3. MYERS.
The Oregonian has not advocated the
right of the state to "appeal on flimsy
technicalities." It is not in favor of
allowing that right to anybody. Though
Mr. Myers' language . is unnecessarily
violent he Is probably correct In think
ing that the remedy for the' present
evils of delay and inefficiency so far
as criminal trials are concerned lies
largely in the hands of the Judges. If
he will take the trouble to read the
editorial which he criticises with a lit
tle more attention he will find that It
anticipates him In the same opinion.
AGAINST THE PARCELS POST.
Proposed Law Would Only Benefit
Eastern Houses, Is Charged.
PORTLAND, Feb. 7. (To the Editor.)
Noting a clipping In a recent Issue of
The Oregonian with reference to par
cels post and also the editorial pub
lished a week previously, I am sure
that many readers would be glad to
know how you reconcile the position
taken In each editorial. The editorial
on the Eastern mall order melon is
certainly correct, and I have heard it
commented upon most favorably.
In advocating the parcels post, per
haps it did not occur to The Oregonian
that It Is playing exactly Into the hands
of the catalogue houses and is advo
cating a measure which they have
been working for for years. Recently
they have not been doing so In the
open, but through their emissaries, in
working through the farmers' and
grangers' organizations, endeavoring to
make It appear that the demand is re
ally from the farming communities for
parcels post.
Tho Oregonlan Is advocating the
measure that would result In vastly
Increasing the amount of money that
would naturally go from Oregon to the
catalogue houses of Chicago and other
Eastern cities. If parcels post Is en
acted. It will contribute very largely
towards retarding the growth and de
velopment of the Interior towns and
cities of the Pacific Northwest.
If the trade of the retail merchant
and dealer is taken away by the larpe
catalogue and mall order houEes of the
East, he certainly cannot continue In
business, and anything that will Injure
, the retail merchant and dealer Is going
to affect the farmers' market for his
produce and crops. It does not stop
there, for naturally when the farmer's
home market for his crops is taken
away. It depreciates the value of the
farming property. This Is quite an
Intricate subject, and I think it would
be well to look more thoroughly Into
what would be the effects If parcels
post becomes a law. The Postal Pro
gressive League is but another name
for those whose Interests are largely
Identical with the catalogue or mail
order houses, and they are very active
In making it appear that parcels post
legislation is desired by the people in
stead of by themselves.
T. M. SHERMAN.
Ancient Clewa In Modern London.
"London In ISM."
At Clement's Inn, the chimes are still
heard at midnight, as Falstaff heard
them; but they are now "grown hoarse
with age and sitting up."
Fetter Lane was named from the
faltors. or beggars, who infested this
quarter. In this street lived the leather
seller, Praisegod Barebones, and his
brother. Damned Barebones.
The original Belle Sauvage was prob
ably the Indian Princess Pocahontas,
who rescued Captain John Smith, Gov
ernor of Virginia burled in the neigh
boring St Bepulore's Church.
Slavery Days of 1728-7 In New England.
Bliss's "Bide Glimpses."
Specimens of advertisements of "just
arrived" negroes from the Boston News
Letter of the years 1726 and 1727:
To Be Sold A parcel of negroes Just
arrived, viz.: Men, women, boys and
girls- they are to be seen at Captain
Nathaniel Jarvis's house, near Scarlet's
.u--e
Several very likely young negroes of
each sex. Just arrived, to.be sold at six
or twelve months' credit on good se
curity, by1 Hugh Hall, merchant, at
whose warehouse on Mr. Pitt's wharf is
sold Barbadoes rum.
- I
Storage Eggs for Easter.
The scientist the question begs
The mystery's profound
Why rabbits only lay their eggs
When Easter rolls around.
Cs'aw York Telegram. ,
The Anniversary Number
Ambition Is Wonderfully Realised.
Roseburg Review.
Fifty years under one management is
a remarkable career for a newspaper.
This morning The Portland Oregonian
issued a semi-centennial edition of 128
pages, this being the fiftieth anniversary
of the first issue of The Morning Ore
gonian. It is a valuable illustrated re
view of the progress of the Pacific
Northwest, and a wonderful realization
of the ambitions of its founder, H. L.
Plttock. who is still president and prin
cipal owner of The Oregonian.
All Oregon Should lie Frond.
Eugene Register.
All Oregon ought to be extremely proud
of the fiftieth anniversary number of
The Oregonian issued February 4 and
containing "123 pages. It is the most
comprehensive edition of a paper ever
published in the Northwest and will do
more toward interesting Eastern people
in Oregon and its resources than any
other form of advertising the state has
ever been able to send out. Great pains
have been taken to combine accuracy
of statement with artistic delineation
of the beauty of Oregon. The history of
50 years is told with a precision that at
once impresses the reader with the
mighty Intrinsic value of the edition.
The Oregonian has certainly outdone all
previous efforts In this edition and can
be easily classed in first place among
.the publications of the country in spe
cial edition work.
Pacific Coast's neat Edition.
Roseburg News.
The Portland Oregonian arrived here
this morning in six sections and con
tains lSi pages. From the printer's
standpoint the paper is probably the
finest edition ever published on tha. Pa
cific Coast, containing as it does hun
dreds of beautiful illustrations from all
sections of the state, as well as ex
tensive and Instructive write-ups of the
various industries. The edition is
printed as the "Fiftieth Anniversary
Number of The Portland Oregonian."
and gives a complete and exhaustive
history covering the progress of Oregon
during the past half century. To say the
least, the edition is well worthy of spe
cial recognition, and anyone wishing to
boost for the state at large should send
a few extra copies to Eastern friends.
In no other manner can the Easterner
learn of the wonderful opportunities
that abound In this section of the great
Northwest A feature in the lllustra
t'or.s is a panorama of the City of Port
land, by Clark & Clark, ot Roseburg.
Edition Deserves Careful Study.
Salem Statesman.
Several thousand persons in this part
of the state have been engaged more
or less during the past 24 hours in perus
ing the valuable reading matter appear
ing In The Oregonian of yesterduy. the
issue being the fiftieth anniversary num
ber of the dally edition of that great
newspaper. It . consists of 12S pages,
every inch of which is occupied by ar
ticles and illustrations historical of this
famous commonwealth and its wonder
ful agricultural and manufacturing re
sources, its rapidly growing cities and
most fertile valleys. The career of the
paper from Us beginning to the present
is told in an Interesting way. all of
which will require some time to reart
Tnd remember. One cannot take up The
Oregonian of February 4, 1911. and hur
rledly pass over its pages and columns
and derive any benefit theretrom: the
magnificence and completeness of the
Saner require something better To get
the full value it offers will take many
days of careful study. The present
owner and management are to be con
gradated for what has -en om
dished by The Oregonian during the
pas half century, and all those people
ofe thae Pcilit.zed V rfd'fh.Vpla
Xancement8 Oregon is making & should
be enthusiastic patrons of the paper for
all time.
KIND WORDS FROM OTHER CITIES
Anpsclatlon on The Oregonltrn's COth
Anniversary Number.
SEATTLE, Wash., Feb. 6. (To the
Edlto'r)-The Oregonlan's 50th anni
versary number is in full keeping with
the general excellence of the eif,
Northwest's leading newspaper. The
different articles show Th. Oregonlan
thoroughness and care throughout , U
Is an issue of which every person con
nected with the paper may Justly and
f"tWrc0a-dbe of more importance
to a community than to have an i able,
honest and sincere newspaper as Its
Sol" e and champion, and I believe that
there Is no other section of the country
Zo the whole Union-wlth as small a
Population as the Immediate domain of
The Oregonian. that has a newspaper
Jf the recognized ability of The Ore-
B0Apaper which cart lose as great an
edftor as did The Oregonian in the
passing of the much-lamented and re
vered Harvey W. Scott, and continue
Tn the even and majestic tenor of its
way as tha king of Western journals
Tasy certainly bullded as well as any
journalistic genius could foretell that It
would do. Such monuments to
and integrity generally require powers of
deeper origin than those of genius for
their' rearing. .... -
The Oregonlan's staff writer haa in a
two-column editorial, given a very ac
curate description of the pos Hon held by
The Oregonian, and I cannot but belief
that VheVophecy given is correct tha
the Journal will continue to be what it
l8Th0edrey'i- no need "to eulogize The Ore
gonlan Any person who knows Ameri
fan Journalism knowa that Th. Orego
nian is the be-ableat-pape, on the
Pacific Coast, If not-as I"'""'
the g-eatest Journal west of the Mis
sissippi. May It have many more an
niver2ar.es. 7 SROS3 PARKER.
CONDON. Or.. Feb. 6.-(To the Editor.)
-I have just finished a most nJV"jW
purusal of The Oregonlan s 60th anni
versary number and permit me to fay
that I enjoyed It most heartily. That
issue certainly marks progress. It hardly
stems possible, but facts, figures records
and livlna witnesses are all there to
Iw and prove the march and progress
fTlf. uVisTmarvel of the printers'
art As an exhibition of literary merit
and wealth of mind. It takes front rank
with the best in the United States As
an issue pointing to the progress, riches
and development at he state, it Is com
plete and nothing is lacking.
But the greatest fact of all is the paper
... iv it.ifi what marvelous
rine urtB"""1"! """" " . . ,
progress it has made. Always ahead?
YesI NO occasion to remain
in it nfid or boast-
it. says win oi,v" - , ,
Ing." What if it does! certainly once in
60 years It is entitled to can mi" "
vf ' t. Merita ita victories and
triumphs and I congratulate It. There Is
no boasting in calling attention to real
merit and true progress. The Oregonian
has Etood for the best In the individual.
the state and tne nation, u i. "
i . n-ncnoi tf riroETess. happiness and
lacuna a"i- .
success. May It gn , on and ever on
Longest River In the World.
VANCOUVER, Wah., Feb. 6,-(To the
Editor.) Will you please answer this
question through the columns of your
paper. What is tha name of the longest
river in the world? Also where it rises
and into what it flows? Without tribu
taries or branches. IGNORANCE.
m i. 4n,9r.n in 4onth America
the Nile in Africa are the longest rivers
. 1 ,a.1J oaaa C Via It f oVlAIlt t Vt Ufl MIA
IB Hie V U! 1U OliU W Vi. vvvn
lencth. Consult any .standard geography,
atlaf or encycioiycujja, u, octm
foriaaiioUe